International Film Festival of Crete & Awards (7)

Festival start: 01 August 2026      Festival end: 21 August 2026

The 7th International Film Festival of Crete & Awards, offers you the opportunity to submit your films now, in order to compete in the monthly awards of the Festival for February. Winners will automatically qualify to compete for the annual Festival awards, taking place from August 1st to 21th, 2026.

This year, the 7th Festival is dedicated to Human Rights. It is worth noting that films from all thematic sections will be eligible at the end of each month to compete for the annual awards in August. The rich thematic sections of the Festival include: human rights, recordings of memory, docudrama, young directors, true stories, climate change, environment, the role of women, Greek Panorama, views of the world, human portrait, violence, war threat, diversity, socio-political discrimination, religious conflicts, racism, migration, as well as themes related to all forms of art and culture, such as folklore, customs, mythology, history, biographies, ethnographies, journeys, and travel-tourist documentaries.

The 7th International Documentary Festival of Ierapetra & Awards, promotes the best films from Greece and around the world for screening in its’ Competition Section. Ierapetra, the southernmost city in Europe, a crossroads of cultures and continents, will once again host a plethora of films and artists from the ends of the earth. The judging panels consist of international recognition personalities.

The film files must be in mp4 format and must have embedded English and Greek subtitles (in case of foreign dialogue).

Our 5-star and Gold-rated festival holds the EFFE quality seal.

Trailer of the 5th International Film Festival of Crete & Awards:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZAQStCWPFA&t=27s

Greek Competition Section Long Fiction films

Best Greek Picture Award
Directing Award
Writing (Original Screenplay) Award
Actor In a Leading Role Award
Actress In a Leading Role Award
Actor In a Supporting Role Award
Actress In a Supporting Role Award
Cinematografphy Award
Film Editing Award
Music (Original Score) Award
Music (Original Song) Award
Sound (Editing And Mixing) Award
Scenography Award
Costume Design Award
Makeup Award
Visual Effect Award
Audience Award
Special Festival Award

Greek Competition Section Short Fiction films

Best Greek Short Film Award
Best Greek Cartoon Film Award (only activated if more than three films are included).
International Competition of long Fiction Films

Best International Picture Award
Directing Award
Writing (Original Screenplay) Award
Actor In a Leading Role Award
Actress In a Leading Role Award
Cinematografphy Award
Editing Award
Music (Original Score) Award
Makeup Award
Visual Effect Award
Audience Award
Special Festival Award
International Short Feature Film Competition

Best International Short Picture Award

The International Film Festival of Crete & Awards is
organized by Chrysea nonprofit corporation, from August 1st to 21th, 2026.

Film viewing has been scheduled at theaters and amphitheaters (Inner hall “Tzami”, Amphitheater “Steki Neolaias”) and at external places (“Tzami Square”, “Amphitheater Minos”, “Steki Neolaias Square” ).

AIM OF THE FESTIVAL

The Festival’s main purpose is the promotion of Art of
Fiction Film making, presenting a multifaceted universal film program during the event.

One of the important aims of the festival is the promotion and the diffusion of Film Fiction production, as well the cooperation and the development of spirit of friendship amongst the artists.

However, equally important is highlighting the local civilization and especially the Minoan one and its contribution to Universal Culture.

The aim of the festival is, therefore, the qualitative upgrade of cultural and intellectual life in local, national and international level, because we believe that culture and cultivation of the intellect are indispensable
requisites of our lives.

The Festival is an annual institution and is divided into the Competition Section of Awards and also the Panorama where international or national documentary productions (awarded or not), are viewed.


TERMS OF PARTICIPATIONS

a. Production Year of All the Competition Section films should be 2023‐2026.

b. All Greek and foreign Directors have the right to participate, irrelevantly if they live and work in Greece or abroad.

c. The Fiction Films are divided into short films (duration up to 45 minutes) and feature films (duration from 45 until 120 minutes).

d. The festival accepts the following film formats for viewing: mp4 file with HD resolution or vimeo link or link with HD resolution.

e. Special attention will be given to the film’s artistic quality as a total.

Films which do not fulfill the above features will be excluded from the Festival.

g1. The films will be viewed with original dialogues and the foreign films must have Greek subtitles in mp4 file. The films will be screened in their original language, with Greek subtitles in mp4 file.

g2. If dialogues are Greek, the film must have English subtitles.

g3. Film copies for the pre-selection process will be submitted with Greek subtitles in mp4 file (if they are in foreign language).

g4. At the Competition Section only one film per participant and film category will be accepted.


PARTICIPATION REGULATIONS

Film Directors and Producers are obliged to complete and submit the participation form, in which technical data of the fiction film will be stated. They are also obliged to comply with the terms and rules of the festival.

a. Deadline for submissions is June 30th, 2026.

b. The same deadline (June 30th, 2026) applies also in case an application form has been e-mailed by the director or producer. In this case the signed hard copy of the application form and the copies of the film (mp4 file in HD Resolution) should be sent by registered mail
to the festival address:

International Film Festival of Crete Secreteriat
Stratigou Samouil 22 Ierapetra Greece, 72200,
Tel. 2842110938, Mob. 6948541393
or
Astrous 100, Kolonos, Athens, 10442
info@festivalierapetra.gr

c. The festival will contact only the selected film directors/ producers until July 14th 2026.

d. After submitting the application, the director/producer have no right to withdraw their application for any reason.

e. Participation details and application form can be found at the festival site:
www.festivalierapetra.gr/en
el‐gr.facebook.com/festivalierapetra

All applications should include:

Application form properly filled in and signed by the director and the producer plus accompanying material consisted of:

1. Mp4 file in HD resolution
2. Vimeo link in HD resolution to download it.
The above mp4 files should have Greek subtitles embedded (in
case of English dialogues) or English (in case of Greek dialogues).
3. Film Summary (up to 140 words) in Greek (optional for foreign participants) and English in digital format.
4. Director’s Biography (up to 70 words) in Greek (optional for foreign participants) and English in digital format.
5. Four (4) snapshots of the film (horizontal) and one (1) director’s photo, preferably 10Χ15 εκ. at 300 dpi or corresponding size.
6. Director’s Filmography as a column from latest to oldest (Date, Title, Genre) in Greek and English in digital format
7. Trailer / DEMO of the film in DVD disk for viewing.
8. Supplementary advertising material (posters, brochures) if available).

9) Organizers have the right to arrange accordingly any issue not covered by these terms and regulations.

10) Scenes from the Fiction Film (less of 10% of total duration) can be used for publicity purposes (internet, TV etc.)

11) The Festival has the privilege to show the selected Films in other affiliated Festivals, strictly for cultural and social purposes.